The Kid
by Chaser14
Summary: Horatio Caine never thought he would find anything harder in life than dealing with death every day. But being a father...it's harder than it looks. Horatio and Kyle centric. COMPLETE. Sequel now posted. Alternate ending featuring the custody battle added
1. The Fever

I love Horatio and Kyle together, and this little fluffy piece has been floating in my head for some time. Enjoy!

Nothing much in the way of spoilers, unless you haven't seen season six yet.

For now it's just a two-shot, unless people are interested in more. This chapter doesn't do too much, but if I expand it I'll be bringing in lots of characters—Julia, Yelina, and definitely Ray Jr, and lots others.

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Horatio was a little bit surprised when the phone rang at 10:30 pm on a Sunday. Horatio rarely received phone calls at home—partly because he was almost never home to get them, but mostly because he had few relationships where late night phone calls would be appropriate.

It was for this reason that he deemed that the caller had to be Yelina, Ray Jr., or….

"Kyle?"

"Dad." The voice was feeble; it had lost its usual strength and confidence.

"What's going on?" Horatio asked with a hint of concern.

There was a pause on the phone. Clearly Kyle didn't really want to make this phone call. "I'm sick." He finally said. "I've got a fever and I can barely get off the couch."

The father in Horatio was instantly alarmed. But the cool, collected, logical Horatio quickly shushed the fear aside. While Kyle had occasionally reached out to Horatio, the two didn't have a terribly close relationship. In fact, Horatio was fairly sure that this was the first time Kyle had ever called him. The fact that Kyle had called him about this meant that it was serious. Kyle was willing to admit that he needed help.

Horatio already guessed what was going on, but he didn't want to push Kyle away by assuming. He decided to be subtle. "Did your mother give you anything for the fever?"

A small silence ensued. "She…doesn't know I'm sick."

"Why would that be?" Horatio asked.

He could hear a sigh on the other end of the line. "She's away for business, okay? I got sick after she left."

Horatio's heart sank. Julia was leaving Kyle alone for days at a time? Kyle may be a young adult, but someone should at least know that he's alone.

"I'm coming over. Just hang in there."

It was not a long drive to the Winston's residence, although they lived in a much glossier part of town. Horatio couldn't help his heart from beating rather rapidly as he drove. It was an unusual feeling for him. Worrying about a child—his child—was not like worrying about others. The fear came from some part of him that he didn't even know existed.

The front door was unlocked when Horatio tried it. He had been there before, and knew that Kyle was probably in the den. He was right. Kyle was curled up in the small room on a couch facing a TV that had been turned way down. His cheeks were flushed and small licks of hair stuck to his sweating forehead. Despite this, his body was shaking with the chills.

Other than babysitting Ray Jr. as baby, Horatio didn't really have any experience with children. Despite this, his paternal instincts kicked in the minute he saw his boy lying sick on the couch. He sat on the coffee table next to Kyle, and put a few fingers against his cheek. He was burning up.

"Thanks for coming, Dad," Kyle mumbled, half appreciative, half embarrassed.

"When did your mother leave?" Horatio asked him.

"Friday morning."

"And you've been sick since then?"

"Since Friday night."

Horatio sighed. "Son, I wish you had called me earlier. You shouldn't be here alone when you're sick."

Kyle seemed to be following Horatio's train of thought. "Mom had no way of knowing I was going to get sick." It was said with what little defensiveness Kyle could muster.

"But you called her, right?" Horatio asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

Once again, Kyle looked embarrassed. "I can't. She's with really important clients in the Keys. She shut off her personal phone."

Horatio looked to the ground. "So you have no way of contacting her?"

Kyle didn't answer.

Horatio decided to let it rest for now. He got up and found some paper towels which he ran under cold water. He wrung them out, then returned to Kyle's side, handing him the cool clothes.

"Where's your medicine cabinet?"

"Down the west hallway, second door on the right, cabinet above the sink." Kyle said, settling back into the couch.

Horatio rose, taking note of the interior of the house as he walked. The kitchen was a mess—Kyle clearly had eaten take out every night and not bothered to clean anything up. His clothes and schoolbooks were lying in a heap on the floor. Horatio sighed to himself. This boy needed some looking after.

Horatio returned to Kyle after a minute carrying a glass of water and some Advil. The boy took them and downed them without a word.

"Try to get some rest," Horatio said. He glanced at the TV. "Do you want that off?"

"No, it helps me sleep."

"Alright."

Horatio was about to relocate to a chair on the side of the den when he heard Kyle's now frail tone. "Dad."

Horatio looked down at him. His blue eyes were big and childish. He was curled underneath a blanket, and was looking at his father with an almost fearful look.

"Can you just stay a minute?"

"I'm not about to leave, Kyle."

"No, I mean…can you stay right there? There's something I wanted to ask you about."

Horatio sat back down. "What is it, son?"

"I was just wondering…what were your parents like?"

**A/N:** Please review, it means so much!


	2. Lunch With Yelina

I got a decent response, so I'm going to turn this into a full blown story. I've got lots of things planned for the story—but I'm going to focus on Horatio's relationship with Kyle and how Horatio struggles to have close, personal relationship with his son.

Enjoy!

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Horatio looked at Yelina carefully. She was eating a salad and being very quiet.

Finally she looked up. "What is it, Horatio? Don't think I haven't noticed you've been staring at me for the past few minutes."

Horatio smiled. "You seem a little upset."

Yelina sighed and put down her fork. "Less upset, more…anxious. It's Ray Jr. He's not doing well in his classes. I don't know what's going on. He's always been a very good student." She paused, then looked Horatio in the eye. "Maybe you could come over and spend some time with him. He hasn't had…well, that is to say, he hasn't had much _male_ influence since…you know."

Horatio didn't want to talk about that. "Of course. I could ask Kyle to come, too."

Yelina looked as if she had just been reminded of something. "Oh, how are things going with Kyle?" Horatio smiled a little and looked at the ground. Yelina smirked. "That good, huh?"

"Julia's being irresponsible with him."

Yelina sighed. "There's not a whole lot you can do about that, Horatio. She's got custody of him, and as long as she's not starving him, he can't be taken away from her."

Horatio said nothing. He knew what she said was true. He also knew that he didn't have enough evidence to go into a custody battle and expect to win.

Yelina watched Horatio carefully. It was strange for her to see him so hopeless. "But what about Kyle? Is he happy?"

"I don't know. He just got over an illness. I was there with him two nights ago."

The woman sat up straighter, clearly wanting to hear the story. "What happened?"

"He called me late Sunday night. He was sick and needed someone to come over."

"Well that's good—he's reaching out."

"I get the feeling he called more out of desperation than anything else."

There was a moment of silence. Horatio looked away from Yelina, staring at some vacant spot in the distance. Yelina studied his face. "There's something you're not telling me," she said.

Horatio sighed as he pulled out money to pay for their lunch. "He asked me about my parents."

Yelina's eyes were at once wide and startled. She knew all about the Caine brother's traumatic upbringing. She had heard the stories from Raymond.

"What did you tell him?"

Horatio looked up into her eyes. "The truth."

_TWO DAYS EARLIER_

"I was just wondering…what were you're parents like?" Kyle's eyes were large and innocent—a reminder to Horatio that despite his bravado, Kyle was still very much a boy.

Horatio looked down at the ground. He knew the question would come eventually. It was only natural that Kyle would want to know about his family. But it seemed like strange timing for such a question.

"Well…er…"

Kyle narrowed his eyes slightly. It was strange to see his father so uncomfortable.

"My mother was very beautiful. She was born in Ireland, and she had a very sweet disposition. She was the hardest working person I've ever met."

Kyle took a moment to absorb the information. He hesitated with his next question, sensing that Horatio did not really want to give the answer. "What about your dad? What was he like?"

Horatio looked straight into his son's eyes. The face was different, but he was looking at the same blue eyes that he saw every time he looked in the mirror. He knew that anything besides the truth would be a disservice to his only child.

"My father had a few good qualities. He was a strong thinker and a relentless fighter. But he was a coward. He was an alcoholic who took out his anger on his family, instead of getting help."

Kyle looked stunned at his father's words. "So…he hit you?"

Horatio slowly and carefully nodded. "He was sent to jail when I was twelve. He was murdered when I was your age, my mother as well."

Kyle had forgotten all about his fever. "Oh. I'm sorry." He looked guilty for asking.

"It's not your fault, son." Horatio hesitated, as if he was going to say something else.

"What is it, dad?" Kyle asked.

"Nothing," Horatio replied, turning away.

_PRESENT TIME_

"So he knows," Yelina sighed. Horatio nodded. They were walking to their cars now. When she reached hers, Yelina turned to Horatio. Her voice was quiet but firm. "Horatio, I know it isn't like you to open up to others, and normally I wouldn't ask you to. But Kyle is your son—if you can't talk personally with him then you both are going to live miserable lives."

Horatio smiled at her, thanking her with his eyes.

"You bring Kyle over tomorrow. I'm sure Ray Jr. will be happy to meet him."

"I'll do that." She drove off, and Horatio watched her go.


	3. Rolling With the Punches

**A/N:** Do you ever have it where you know what things you want to happen, but you can't figure out how to connect them? Well that's the problem I had with this chapter. Big time. But here it is—for what it's worth. I realized after finishing it that it didn't add a lot to the overall plot other than to establish a relationship between Kyle and Ray Jr., but it's worth reading nonetheless. I hope you enjoy it. I promise more plot advancement next chapter (which I will try to publish quicker.)

Rated T because there is some language, mostly because most of my friends are teenage boys—and they tend to cuss a lot.

There is a debate between Kyle and Ray over public vs private school. I have attended private school my whole life and really have no preference about it. So, the opinions stated are only for the sake of the story and are not meant to offend.

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Raymond Caine Jr. could not be happier to meet his cousin. After living his whole life with no extended family beyond his Uncle Horatio and his cousin Madison (whom he rarely saw), having a cousin his age was nothing short of a gift from God.

His mother had mentioned only that his name was Kyle and that he had spent most of his life in foster care and jail. Now he was just moments away from coming face to face with his long lost relative. He sat out on the back deck of his mother's house, twitching with excitement.

He finally saw Uncle Horatio come around the corner of the house. He stopped and looked behind him. Kyle appeared and, with a glance at his father, kept walking towards Ray Jr. Ray was surprised at his appearance. For some reason he had expected the boy to have dashing red hair. He did not.

From what he could assess, Kyle Harmon Winston-Caine was about 5'11" with short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He was tall and thin, but his walk was graceful and sure. Ray Jr. stood to greet his cousin.

Kyle was not timid. Neither was he overly confident. He seemed to have a talent for first impressions. Or so Ray Jr. thought.

The truth of the matter is that everything Ray Jr. thought of his cousin that first day was entirely wrong. Maybe it was the weather or their perspective moods, but the cousins' first meeting did not go well. However, fear not. Although it would take time, Ray Jr. and Kyle eventually became very good friends.

Before I go on telling you about what occurred that day, it is imperative that I tell you a little more about the two teenage boys that are centerfold to this story.

Ray Jr. was not much like his father. In fact, it could be argued that he was much more like his Uncle Horatio. He was logical and down-to-earth, and thought everything through before acting. He wasted no time with trivial things, but also knew how to enjoy the small things in life. He had ambition and determination—a winning combination.

Kyle was, in many ways, Ray Jr.'s opposite. While he had a firm moral grounding, he was an impetuous and passionate being—prone to acting on the whim of his every emotion. That's not to say that he wasn't bright. In reality his intelligence far surpassed that of his cousin, though it would be a long time before he was able to reign in his abilities as a thinker.

Now perhaps it was these differences in personality that caused the friction that first day.

Ray watched as Kyle approached him. Ray knew it had to be awkward for this boy he didn't know to meet him like this, so he decided to start the conversation. "Hey. I'm Ray Jr."

"Kyle," the other boy responded automatically. He looked around to distill the small moment of awkwardness. "Nice place."

"Sure," Ray agreed. "I hear your house is freakin huge. You live east of the Curium Bridge, right?"

"That's right." Kyle grinned. He wasn't used to getting complimented, especially about wealth. "You should see our TV. It's bigger than Manhattan."

Ray laughed. He glanced over Kyle's shoulder to his Uncle Horatio, who appeared to have a small smile on his face as he went inside the house.

Ray plunked down at the dining table which had two pizza boxes and some soda on it. "You like?" Ray asked Kyle. "Help yourself."

Kyle eagerly grabbed a slice and took a seat at the end of the table. Between bites he asked, "Where do you go to school?"

"Miami Dade Public. You?"

"Claremont Academy."

Ray Jr. sat up straight, the smile gone from his face. "Why go there, man? I've been there, the kids are such snobs."

It's strange that at this moment Kyle chose not to take offense to the statement—he normally would. "My mom picked it out. The kids definitely have their moments," he said casually, but there was a hint of defensiveness.

"My mom wishes I could go to private school," Ray said.

"It's a better education, that's for sure."

Ray put down the slice of pizza he was about to eat. "That's a bunch of bullshit. I've been going to public school my whole life and I'm just as smart as the next guy. The only reason public schools get bad reputations is cause there's a lot of them and a few happened to be crappy."

Kyle sat up a little straighter. He seemed torn between diffusing the situation and snapping back. He chose the latter.

"Well I've been to both and I know that public school is a piss poor excuse for education."

Ray's cheeks turned red in a tell-tale sign of anger. He gripped the edge of his chair, but calmed himself. "You don't care too much for the whole 'sensitivity' thing, do you?" He said between clenched teeth.

"Not when I'm right." Kyle made no effort to hide his anger.

There was a moment where the two red-faced boys stared at one another, each challenging the other.

Surprisingly, it was Ray who cracked first. "You're an ex-foster kid who has two felonies under his belt before his 17th birthday and _you're_ the one who's right?"

Kyle didn't need another invitation. He lunged the short distance between the chairs, tackling Ray to the ground. The boys scuffled all over the deck—chocking, kicking, punching, and pulling whatever they could grab.

Startled by the commotion, both Horatio and Yelina had come running out to the deck. Horatio quickly pulled Kyle and Ray apart, staring daggers at them both. "_What_ is going on here?"

Kyle pulled himself from his father's grip. "I think we're done here," he said glaring at his cousin. Ray glared back, while Yelina looked startled at her usually well behaved son.

Horatio looked at Yelina apologizingly and turned with Kyle to go. Yelina likewise went inside, followed by the now submissive Ray.

Horatio was silent as he took Kyle to the car. Kyle could tell he was about to get a grand lecture. He glanced back at the house with swollen eyes and a bloodied lip and smiled.

Horatio looked at him questioningly. Kyle's grin widened. "I like him."

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**Review! Please, please, please!**


	4. Don't Talk About That

**A/N:** Wow, I said quick and this was definitely quick. I really disliked my last chapter so I wanted to get a better one out quickly. I realize that most people are reading for the Horatio/Kyle stuff, so I wrote another chapter focusing on that.

**Warning**: Father/son cuteness ahead! And yes, I use the word "manhug"!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own CSI:Miami or any of its characters. I do own Charlie, Leslie, and Carson.

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Kyle touched the stitches on his forehead tenderly. While this was far from his first injury, he was rarely if ever taken to the hospital when hurt. He personally thought the whole thing was a waste of time and money—it's not like the cut wouldn't heal. But his overly worrisome father had insisted on the doctor's visit.

Now he sat across from his father on an outdoor patio of a restaurant.. "Ray Jr. has a nasty right hook," Kyle grinned.

Horatio gave him a half disapproving, half amused look. "Have you two worked out your problems?"

"Sure, sure," Kyle said casually. "He called to apologize but we ended up talking about what the best kickboxing move is."

"I'm glad you've made up." There was a small silence. Horatio looked at his son with curiosity. He knew nothing about the boy who shared half his traits, yet he couldn't find the words to start a conversation. He was not used to these types of discussion. He decided to go with the safest question. "Are you doing well in school?"

Maybe not so safe. Kyle grimaced. "Eh…well, I'm pretty behind. You know, what with being locked up for a month and all."

"That was a while ago. Shouldn't you be caught up?"

Kyle bit his lip. He had counted on his father just accepting the answer. "Claremont's goes a lot faster than my old school. It's been hard to settle in." Once again, a half-hearted answer.

Horatio didn't buy it. "I think four months is plenty of time. Are you struggling with the curriculum?"

Kyle caved. His father was going to back down. "No," he said exasperated. "The stuff's easy. I just don't see the point."

Horatio raised his eyebrows. Kyle seemed smart enough to understand the benefits of education. "Why's that?"

Kyle shrugged and looked away embarrassed. He played with his napkin while staring across the courtyard. He avoided eye contact.

Horatio dipped his head, analyzing his son's eyes. He found they were easy to read, partly because he was so open, but also because the eyes were so much like his own. Clearly there was something more to this.

"Son, if there's a problem you should tell me. You'll need to finish strong to start applying to colleges."

At the word "colleges" the look of embarrassment on Kyle's face grew. The boy glanced at his father, seeing that he was not about to drop the matter.

Kyle sighed. "I'm not going to apply the college. What's the point? The only thing they'll see is the box marked 'yes, I have committed a felony.' No one's going to take me. I might as well enjoy my high school years and get ready for my job at Wal-Mart." He crossed his arms and looked anywhere but at Horatio.

Horatio was silent for a moment. So these were the fears plaguing his son's mind. He was glad to know—he felt closer to his son knowing. "Do you talk about this with your mother?"

"We never talk about anything important."

Horatio wished he were surprised. "There are many colleges that except students regardless of their convictions. In fact, usually only top private schools prohibit ex-felons from enrolling."

Kyle looked at Horatio trying to find a fault with the argument. "Even if I got to college, finding a good job afterward would be near impossible. That's what my guidance counselor said. He said I shouldn't even bother looking at colleges. I should just focus on going straight to a job."

_What kind of school is he being sent to?_ Horatio wondered. "Kyle, that is not true. You will always have more options with a college degree. It will be your choice, son, but want you to really think about this. Once you get a job it will be difficult to go back and try to get into college."

Kyle nodded. He looked away, but inside he was glad for this talk with his father. He couldn't remember the last time any adult sat down with him and had a serious conversation that didn't end in him being read his rights. He felt a pang of appreciation for this man.

"Kyle!" An all too familiar voice called. Kyle broke from his reverie to see one of his closest friends, Charlie, looking down at him.

"Hey, what's up man?" Kyle got up and gave him a "manhug."

Charlie was physically the opposite of Kyle. He was shorter by a few inches, but he had more than made up for it in muscle. He had Florida-tanned skin, soft black hair, and brown eyes.

"Nothing much." He looked at Horatio. Kyle caught the cue.

"This is my dad, Lieutenant Caine." The words felt oddly satisfying as Kyle said them.

Horatio and Charlie shook hands. "Charlie's in the system, too. We've known each other since I went in."

Charlie grinned. "We've had some good times." He glanced backwards. "Man, my rent-a-dad is waiting for me. I just thought I'd tell you the news. Carson asked Leslie to the Christmas dance."

Kyle laughed out loud. "Did she kick him? I bet she kicked him."

Charlie wasn't grinning. "Uh…she said yes, actually."

The grin was gone in an instant. "What? She's actually going with that worthless piece of garbage?"

Charlie shrugged. "I heard it from Sarah. She wouldn't say anything unless she was sure."

Kyle looked hurt. "Oh," was all he said.

Charlie glanced back again. "I've got to go, man. We'll talk later. Nice meeting you," he added to Horatio. He took off towards his foster parents waiting in the courtyard.

Kyle sat back down, deep in concentration. "You okay?" Horatio asked.

"Ya, ya." Kyle said, but his voice betrayed him.

"Who's Leslie?" Horatio asked, although he didn't really need to.

"My best friend. She was the first person I met when I went into the foster system." Kyle looked up to his father's inquisitive glance. "We're not…she's not…we're just friends," Kyle stuttered. It sounded pathetic even to him.

Horatio looked down to hide a small smile. The boy had reminded him so much of himself just then. He just wished he could find the right words for him.

"It doesn't sound like you're too happy that she's going with this Carson boy."

"I'm not," Kyle huffed. "He's a piece of crap. His father's some big time corporate lawyer and he won't let anyone forget it. He's always walking around with his nose stuck in the air. I can't believe Leslie would go with him. We've always talked about what a prick he is."

"Maybe he's different when you get to know him." Kyle couldn't think of a response to that. Horatio decided to push a little. He wanted his son to talk to him openly. "Have you asked anyone to this dance yet?"

"No." Reluctant.

"Are you planning to?"

"I'm not sure." Evasive. _I'll have to work on that_, Horatio thought.

Before Horatio could question further, Kyle's cell phone chirped. No song, Horatio noted, just a generic ringtone.

It was evidently a text message, as Kyle simply looked at his phone rather than answering it. His face was for once unreadable. "What is it?" Horatio asked.

He looked up. "Mom's home."

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**I would love some reviews, they're so wonderful.**

**A/N: In the near future I see Julia appearing, Ray reappearing, and possibly a few short visits from Charlie, Leslie, and Carson.**


	5. Mother Knows Best

Thanks so much for the reviews for the last two chapters everyone! They really motivated me to write another chapter quickly. I've got a lot of ideas for the rest of this story that I think you'll like.

Just a note: There is some discussion about the role Julia will play in the story. I realize that there are a lot of different opinions about her. For the purpose of this story, Julia will be the antagonist, but she will not be a villain. She is not the evil character in the story; she is merely an opposing force to Horatio. So, I will try to portray both sides of her character, but understand that she technically is the "bad guy" in this story.

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_Previously…_

Before Horatio could question further, Kyle's cell phone chirped. No song, Horatio noted, just a generic ringtone.

It was evidently a text message, as Kyle simply looked at his phone rather than answering it. His face was for once unreadable. "What is it?" Horatio asked.

He looked up. "Mom's home."

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Horatio took his time in answering. He needed to talk with Julia immediately, but he knew that Kyle would oppose it with all his strength.

"I can drive you back to your house," Horatio finally said.

Kyle saw right through that. "You're not going to go and talk to her are you?"

"I am. There is a serious discussion we need to have."

Kyle pouted and crossed his arms. "Can't it wait? She just got back from her business trip. Can't you wait like…a couple of days?"

"I'm afraid it can't, son." Kyle saw that he was defeated. He followed his father to the car, shoulders slumped.

They arrived at the Winston residence fifteen minutes later. Kyle had been silent and agitated the whole ride. Horatio felt much the same, but did not show it in his demeanor.

The minute the car stopped, Kyle hopped out. He hurried to the door, but refrained from running. He evidently wanted to get inside before his father—perhaps to give his mother some warning. Horatio took his time getting inside. He didn't particularly want to have this conversation, but he knew that he had to for the sake of his son. As much as he wished Kyle lived with him, he had hoped that Julia would be a good parent to him. He would never wish for Kyle to have bad parenting, even if that would enable him to gain custody of him. He cared about his son too much for that.

He entered the lavish house and followed the familiar path to the large kitchen. Julia was standing behind the center island smiling at Kyle. Kyle had grown, Horatio noted. When he had first met him the boy had been slightly shorter than both Julia and himself. Now he stood a little taller than Julia, and eye to eye with Horatio.

Julia turned to him. She was clearly not surprised to see him. "Horatio," she said.

He looked into her unreadable eyes. "Julia." He turned to Kyle. "A moment, son?"

Kyle looked for a moment like he might refuse, but then turned and headed down the hall.

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Kyle headed away from his parents. He was extremely curious as to how this conversation was going to happen, but he had good enough manners not to eavesdrop. Instead he went to his favorite room in the house—the music room. It was located in the back right of the house, and it had a superb view of the ocean.

Kyle sat down at his piano. It had been one of the few good things about the group home he had lived in for a while—access to a piano whenever he wanted. It hadn't taken long before he played it quite well. But that piano hadn't been like the baby grand he played at now. It was strange, but he almost missed that old crappy piano he used to play on.

He had just put his fingers on the keys when there was a knock on the window of the room. He looked up to see a beaming, beautiful, seventeen year old girl waving at him. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her light brown eyes sparkled with happiness.

That's what he loved about her. Leslie had been through just as many crappy foster homes as he had—but she never stopped smiling or being happy.

He nodded his head to the right, indicating that she should meet him out back. She took off at once, and he mirrored her through the hallways.

The closest back door opened from the kitchen, so Kyle had to pass his conversing parents to get out. He hurried through, but caught the words "discipline" and "parenting" coming from his father. Kyle scowled. He could only imagine what his old man was saying now.

Leslie was waiting by the steps that descended to the pool. He caught up to her and motioned for them to move down to the pool area. He didn't want his parents watching them.

She sat one of the chairs. "So," she said.

He stood. He didn't bother with small talk. "So, I hear you're going to the dance with Carson Gordon to the Christmas dance." He was frowning as hard as he could at her.

"You heard correct. And don't glare at me like that. He's not so bad. I talked with him in the library a few times and he had some interesting things to say."

"Oh, I'm sure he had some things to say, all right. Don't let him sweet-talk you. You know what he's after."

Leslie stood. "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, Kyle. I have my whole life. And I'm not some bimbo who's just looking for a pair of pretty eyes." She was upset now.

"That's not what I meant," Kyle back peddled. He sighed. "Look, I just don't get why you would want to go with this guy.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe he's a decent guy?"

"No, because he isn't. Besides, there are lots of other decent guys out there." Kyle grimaced. _Okay, that wasn't so subtle_, he thought.

She either didn't pick it up or chose to ignore because she continued on. "I'm well aware that there are many fish in the sea, but I happen to be asked by Carson, so I'm going with him."

Kyle scowled. Leslie suddenly became timid. "There is one more thing, Kyle."

"What?"

"I told him the three of us would go out to dinner tomorrow night. I want you two to get along."

Kyle's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me, right?"

"I'm not, actually."

"I'm not going," Kyle said astounded. "Why on earth would I go?"

She looked up at him, hurt. "Because I asked you to? Because we're friends?"

Kyle looked down at her round eyes and his stomach did a flip. "Okay," he said, almost without thinking. "I'll go. But only for you, and I can't promise I'll be on my best behavior."

She smiled. "Thanks, babe. I've got to run. Be at my house at 7. I'll drive us over."

He nodded as she walked away. What had he just gotten himself in to?

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Horatio watched as his son walked away. Then he turned to his former lover. "Julia, we need to talk."

"Where were you and Kyle?" She asked.

"I took my son out to lunch." They looked at each other, both vying for dominance.

She looked away. "What would you like to talk about, Horatio?"

"You left Kyle alone for four days." It was not a question, it was a statement.

Julia knew what Horatio was getting at. "He's seventeen, Horatio, and he's lived on his own before. He can take care of himself."

Horatio nodded. "Fair enough. Who knew that he was alone?"

"Anyone he told, I suppose." She was dispassionate, refusing to let Horatio get under her skin.

"He had no way of contacting you."

"He could always call you or a neighbor if something was wrong," she countered.

"That's exactly what he did, Julia, when he got a fever of a hundred and two." Horatio bore into her eyes.

The calmness left Julia's face for a moment, and a flicker of worry crossed her face. Horatio was glad to see it. He was glad that she at least cared about her son.

But in another second she forced the emotion out of her face. "He called you?" She asked. Horatio nodded. "Well, that proves that he's responsible enough to stay home alone. He knows well enough to call an adult when he's sick."

"That's not the only problem, Julia," Horatio said. "I understand that he's not doing well in school."

Julia turned on the sink and filled a glass with water. She took a sip. "He doesn't want to go to college. He wants to go straight to work. If that's what he wants…" She shrugged. "Why encourage something he doesn't want and really doesn't need?"

Horatio thought he knew where this was coming from. Julia had never gotten a college degree, despite attending for two years. "Julia, he does want to go to college. You would know that if you talked with him once in a while."

Anger broke through Julia's facade. "We do talk, Horatio, not that it's your business. I may not have been there before, but I'm here now. I am a good mother."

Horatio looked at the ground and smiled in an annoyed way. "Julia, the boy is not doing well. He's not happy, he's struggling in school, and his mother abandons him for trips in the Keys." Horatio was so focused on Julia that he barely bothered to notice as Kyle hurried across the kitchen, heading for the back door. "He needs more discipline. He hasn't had the proper parenting to prepare him for adulthood."

Julia walked around the island and stepped towards Horatio until they were barely a foot apart. "_We_ are doing just fine, Horatio. I don't appreciate you coming in here to tell me I'm a bad mother. Obviously Kyle doesn't think so either, because he's still living with _me_."

Horatio looked up, challenging her with his eyes. "For now." He put on his sunglasses. "Tell Kyle I'll see him soon." With that, he headed back out the front door and into his car. It was in that moment that he made the decision. Julia Winston was not going to parent Kyle anymore. He was going to fight for custody of his son.

**A/N**: Review, please! I can't tell you how much they motivate me to keep writing this story.

I would like to mention that there will not, I repeat **will not**, be a chapter focusing on Kyle's dinner with Leslie and Carson. However, it will be an important event that will be mentioned. I am excited with this story. I have many cute chapters planned that I am super excited for, namely one that involves a certain topic that is often discussed between fathers and sons. I'll give you a hint…it rhymes with mirls!


	6. To Speak Or Not To Speak

**A/N:** So Horatio and Kyle's little "girl talk" was going to be a little bit on the silly/cute side, but Horatio wouldn't allow it. Yes, it's a rather serious chapter. It definitely delves into a side of Horatio we don't often see on the show. So strap on your seatbelts.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CSI: Miami or its characters. But if the writers want to have my chapter, they can take it!

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Horatio stood outside Julia Winston's door, finishing a text to Frank about the day's murder case. He looked up as she answered the door.

She crossed her arms. "What do you want?" Cold, but not entirely hostile.

"I need to speak with my son."

She hesitated, and then opened the door for him, following him with narrowed eyes as he entered. They walked to the large living room in the back. It was the very same room that Julia had given her real-estate showing the day her husband had been murdered.

She gestured towards the stairs. "He just got home from dinner with friends. He's upstairs in his room. I can call him down if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary." Horatio walked towards the stairs. He did not want his former lover listening in on this conversation.

He was anxious to see Kyle's reaction to the news. He had been rehearsing all week in his head the conversation he hoped to have, but knowing his son it would not go as planned. He thought about the many phone calls he had had with his lawyer this week as he walked up the stairs. He remembered how the man had tried to talk him out of this custody battle. "She's financially a better provider, Horatio," he had said, "and custody is rarely taken from the mother." But Horatio was not going to let the odds get him down. He was going to have custody of his son.

Horatio had never actually been to his son's room before, but he easily identified it by the closed door and quiet but audible rock music playing behind it.

He knocked. "Kyle?" He asked, identifying himself with his voice. There was a small scuttling noise and the door swung open.

"Dad?" Horatio counted himself blessed with Kyle in many ways. His son was smart. His son was healthy. But most importantly, his son's every emotion was played out on his face. In this instant, there was no annoyance or anger, as Horatio had expected. There was only surprise.

"Can I come in?" Horatio asked kindly.

"Sure." Kyle swung the door open and closed it behind Horatio. He then returned to sitting on his bed, where a bunch of schoolbooks were scattered.

"Homework?" Horatio asked.

"I'm attempting," Kyle grimaced. His annoyance seemed to be only directed at himself.

Horatio looked closer at his son. His face and clothes looked much the same. He didn't seem sick or particularly upset, but…something was _off_ about him. He decided that the custody conversation could wait for a little bit. "Are you feeling alright, son?"

Kyle looked up from the precalculus book he was formerly engrossed in. He seemed startled by the question. "I'm fine," he said, as if the question made no sense. "Why would you ask that?"

"You seem upset," Horatio said, not taking his eyes away from the boy. It was becoming rapidly more obvious that something was bothering Kyle.

Kyle seemed torn about something. He looked up at his father. For a second their eyes met, and a connection seemed to be made. Kyle looked back at his books embarrassed. He was clearly not used to being asked about his feelings. "Well, I just got back from dinner with Leslie and her new _boyfriend_." Kyle pronounced the word "boyfriend" with a certain amount of disgust. Kyle gave a frustrated sigh and looked out his window. "The guy's a real piece of work. I never thought Leslie of all people would do this."

All through Kyle's soliloquy Horatio was smiling at the ground. Had it really been so long since he was a seventeen year old boy—confident with anything except the female gender? It was startling how much the boy reminded him of himself. He addressed Kyle's last statement. "Do what?" He asked.

Kyle turned to look at his father. He was clearly still uncomfortable. Horatio understood; he wasn't completely at ease either. This was new territory for both. Kyle looked everywhere but his father's eyes. "Well you know…date a guy like him."

Horatio continued to prod. "A guy like what?"

Kyle stood quiet suddenly. "A guy who's…who's…a loser!" He said passionately. "He clearly just wants her as another conquest. You should have seen him at the restaurant, he was all over her. And if he knew her at all he'd know that she's not a touchy person. She was clearly uncomfortable, but every time I'd tell him to lay off she get angry at _me_!" He was pacing in front of his bed now. Horatio wasn't sure if Kyle even remembered he was there. The boy seemed to be largely talking to himself know. "I've known her my whole life! You'd think she'd listen to my opinions about guys. I would know, after all. But no…she thinks that _I'm_ in denial!"

Kyle stopped, mostly because he was out of breath. He seemed to remember where he was. He looked at Horatio embarrassedly.

Horatio was so surprised and amused by the whole outburst that for a moment he just looked at Kyle with a small smile teasing the corners of his mouth. He then raised his eyebrows a little. He didn't really feel he needed to say anything—his son was a smart kid.

Kyle sat down on his bed in defeat. He groaned and put his head into his hands. After a moment, he removed his hands and looked his father in the eyes. Horatio knew this look. It was the look of a boy searching desperately for the guidance and comfort of a parent.

Kyle glanced down a few times then said quietly, "Have you ever…loved someone who was with someone else?"

Horatio looked down, hiding his face from his son. The boy could hardly understand the irony of his statement. Then, after a moment, he stood, crossed the room, and sat down beside Kyle on his bed. Kyle seemed unsure about his father's sudden closeness to him, but did not shrink away.

"You know what," Horatio said, "I understand the feeling more than you know."

Kyle looked at the ground. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened."

Kyle cocked his head to the side so he could look at his father. "Nothing?"

"Son, life's not a movie. If you care about someone, you need to tell them. Or else, nothing will ever change. You'll never be closer to them."

"You'll never be farther away, either," Kyle pointed out.

"I'd like to think that love's an equation, Kyle," Horatio said slowly, "but it's not. Keeping your feelings inside never benefits anyone."

He had learned the hard way what he told his son now, and he hoped he took it to heart. The two were silent now, basking in the closeness of the moment. Horatio hadn't had such a personal conversation with anyone in years, but if felt nice to sit beside his son and talk to him.

Kyle evidently felt the same way. He gave Horatio an embarrassed, but warm smile. "Thanks Dad."

Horatio hesitated a moment, then placed his hand affectionately on his son's shoulder. "I'm here whenever you need me, son."

Horatio didn't want to ruin the night by possibly angering Kyle with talks of custody, so he bid his adieus.

"Did you need something?" Kyle asked, as Horatio was leaving.

"It can wait," Horatio said. "But I'll speak with you tomorrow."

Kyle nodded. "Okay. See ya."

Horatio nodded and left the room. He could only hope that tomorrow's conversation wouldn't break the bond that the two had begun to forge.

**A/N:** I hope it wasn't too fluffy for you. Please review! The more I get the more motivated I usually am to write another chapter quickly.

**Coming up:** Horatio prepares to tell Kyle about the upcoming custody battle—but he may never get the chance. Dun Dun DUN!


	7. The Doctor Is In

**A/N:** I don't really know how psychologists or custody battles work, so I just made it up as I went along. I hope you don't mind. Oh and I'm hoping to make the next chapter somewhat comedic. I'm not really very funny so we'll see how that goes.

**Disclaimer:** Does anyone read this and think I own CSI: Miami and its characters? I didn't think so.

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The woman was kind looking, with big brown eyes and hazelnut hair. She shook Horatio Caine's hand firmly while offering him a seat.

"Thanks for meeting with me, Dr. Young," Horatio replied. He took a seat across from her desk. He was glad that she was an amiable person; this might have felt more like an interview.

"I'm glad to finally meet you," Dr. Young commented as she settled herself behind her desk. "Kyle has told me quite a bit about you."

Horatio raised his eyebrows a bit. "That's why I'm here, doctor. I'm planning on going to court to win custody of Kyle."

If she was surprised, the doctor didn't show it. "I thought that might be it. I have to warn you, even though you are his parent, there are confidentiality rules I have to abide by. It's the school's policy not to divulge anything a student has said to me to anyone except their legal guardian."

Horatio looked down, processing the information. It was not what he had hoped for. He knew from the experience of working with foster kids that Kyle had most likely seen a therapist while in foster care. He thought it was possible that he was still seeing a psychologist. He was right. It took only one call to the school to learn that Kyle had monthly visits with the school shrink.

Dr. Young seemed to take the look on Horatio's face as that of being discouraged. She tried to help. "I can, however, tell you my own personal observations as a licensed psychologist. I am also allowed to state those opinions in court, as long as they don't include anything that Kyle has specifically said to me."

Horatio looked up with a kind smile. "That would be most helpful m'am."

She sighed, glad that he was not upset. She struck Horatio as the type of woman who hated to see people displeased. "Kyle was sent to me a few weeks after starting here. He was having a problem with one of his teachers. And given his history of foster care the administrative board felt that it would be best that he continued to have sessions with me. We attained permission from his mother, of course."

Horatio nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"From what I've seen of his academic record, and from my observations of his vocabulary, I ascertained that he is quite bright and capable of advanced education." She paused and looked down, then looked up and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "However, I also noticed that he was very…" She searched for the right word. "—angry and frustrated. He seemed to have trouble dealing with authority figures, particularly male ones."

Horatio wasn't surprised to hear this. It was something he himself had noticed. Kyle responded differently to adult men than he did to women. He was less trusting with men. He couldn't be sure, but he thought it came from bad experiences with foster fathers in his early childhood.

Dr. Young continued on a different note. "When I first met with him, he seemed somewhat optimistic for the future. His grades were…decent. At least, he was working hard for what he managed. He was very far behind what with being incarcerated and with having to transfer schools. As time went on, he did appear to become somewhat restless."

Horatio gave her a confused look. "Restless?"

She nodded. "He was…discontent. Not unhappy, exactly, but something was definitely bothering him. Of course, I'm not at liberty to say exactly what he told me." She stopped. She looked Horatio straight in the eye. "Off the record, and I shouldn't even be telling you this," She said with a quiet voice, "things aren't going well at home. The lifestyle of wealth and upper social class doesn't suit him."

She straightened, realizing that she had been leaning towards Horatio. "I can't say any of that in court. I only tell you because…you seem to have Kyle's best interest at heart." She was nervous, like a girl who had just cheated on her spelling test.

Horatio didn't ask how she knew his intentions. He could only guess that Kyle had been feeding her information about their times together. And he could also only guess that Dr. Young didn't think that Julia was doing that great a job.

Dr. Young made one last comment. "In the last few months I've been seeing him, I've noticed a decline in his well being. He is less happy, less healthy, and doing a great deal worse in school. _That _I can tell to the court."

Horatio nodded and sighed. He should be happy that he had information to use in his custody battle, but he was not. There was no reason on this earth that he could hear that his son was wasn't doing well and be happy about it.

He stood. "Thank you very much, Dr. Young. You've been a great help. I'll contact you more about this later." He shook hands with her and headed for the door.

"Lieutenant?" She said hesitantly. He turned. "I think you ought to know, Kyle looks up to you a great deal." She spoke volumes with her eyes.

He understood. He wasn't going to let her or his son down. He headed out to the hummer. Right before he turned the key in the ignition, his phone buzzed. There was no way he could have known that he was about to receive the most terrifying phone call of his life.

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Kyle Harmon, on his way home from school, cruised down the pike with his radio blasting. It was sunny and warm, perfect Florida conditions. He let one arm hang out the car window, and nodded his head to the beat of the music.

He pulled off the pike, now within a few miles of his home. He approached a red light and slowed to a stop. The song on the radio had ended and was replaced by annoying mattress sale commercials. "When aren't mattresses on sale?" he said to no one in particular. He reached down and fiddled with the tuner knob, searching for a good station.

Vaguely he was aware of the light turning green. Being the first person at the stop line, he jammed his foot down on the gas. He glanced at the road, and then went back to tuning his radio. He never found the station.

**A/N:** I really need some reviews! They fuel the creative fire!

**Coming up:** Someone's going to need a little TLC. And in the meantime Horatio might learn some things he didn't want to know.


	8. Kyle in the Middle

A/N: I know I mentioned something about Horatio finding out things he didn't want to know in this chapter, but it ended up going in a different direction. We might hear about those things later, though.

To be perfectly honest, I don't really like this chapter. But it's important, so I've got to put it in. Hopefully you guys will stick with me until next chapter, where it will be a bit more interesting.

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Kyle opened his eyes slowly, trying to make sense of the blurry swirling images he saw. He blinked a few times, trying to make the room come into focus, but it remained vague and undistinguishable. He heard a beeping noise to his left, and he turned his head to see what it was. His neck ached as he turned it.

"Kyle?" It was a familiar voice, coming from wherever the beeping noise was. But whose? He couldn't seem to piece together information. "Kyle?" The voice said again.

Now there was another voice, this one unfamiliar, rambling about something. He couldn't really make out the words. There was a shuffling noise, and then he heard with great clarity, "That should do it."

Kyle could now move his neck quicker, and his eyesight seemed to be sharpening. He could see two men standing near where he was laying, one wearing white, the other wearing black. The latter appeared to be wearing something bright red on his head…

"Dad?" It came out weaker than he had intended.

"I'm here, son." The blurriness had completely left his eyes now. He saw with distinction the hospital bed he was lying on.

"What happened?" He asked confused.

The doctor stepped forward. "A reckless driver ran a red light and broadsided your car. The driver's fine and you're mostly fine, which is pretty close to a miracle. I'm told you're car was totaled. You're lucky that you're not in a worse condition."

Kyle glanced at his Dad. "Er…what condition am I in, exactly?"

The doctor pulled back Kyle's bed sheets slightly, revealing an arm cast that Kyle hadn't even noticed. "You snapped you're arm pretty good against the steering wheel. This cast will be on for at least six months. You also have a cracked rib." He indicated a spot on Kyle's chest that had a strange looking bandage on it. "You got a minor concussion which you've since been treated for. Considering the severity of the accident, you walked away relatively unscathed. We will have to ask you some questions, though, to make sure there's no brain damage. I'm already encouraged by you attentiveness and the fact that you recognize your father."

Kyle breathed out slowly. He had never stayed overnight in a hospital before, let alone when he was all banged up like this. "How soon can I leave?"

The doctor smiled sadly. "We have to give that rib at least a few days to start healing, it could possibly be more."

Kyle fell silent. "Thank you doctor," Horatio said. The doctor nodded and left.

Kyle drank in his situation. "I'm going to miss school," he finally commented.

Horatio sat down in a chair that was already beside Kyle's bed. Kyle wondered vaguely how long his father had been sitting there.

"We can have one of your friends bring you your work."

"Where's Mom?" Kyle asked suddenly.

"She's on her way. She was visiting someone outside the city when she got the call. She shouldn't be much longer."

The two became silent. The silence was, for once, comfortable. Kyle touched his cast curiously. Then he looked up and studied his father's face for a moment. Horatio was staring absently at the ground.

"Are you okay?" Kyle finally asked.

Horatio looked up. "I'm fine," he answered automatically. There was a moment's hesitation. "There is something I've been meaning to talk to you about." Kyle was sitting up now, listening intently.

Horatio took his time with the words, clearly thinking through what he was going to say. "I need to talk to you about your mother. Son, I understand your reasons for choosing to live with her, but—"

"You think I made the wrong decision?" Kyle cut straight to the chase.

Horatio looked away from his son. Kyle was like him—he just wanted to hear the facts. "Kyle, I think—"

Before Horatio could finish his sentence the door to the room flew open, and Julia dashed into the room.

"Kyle!" She rushed to his side, the side opposite of Horatio. She immediately put her hand on top of his head in a touch of affection. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," he said, clearly pleased to see his mother. He shot her a small smile. Horatio looked to the floor.

Julia glanced at her former lover. "Horatio," she said, somewhat curtly.

"Julia," he responded with equal friendliness.

She pushed her hair over one shoulder. "Do you mind, Horatio? I'd like to spend some time with my son alone."

"Actually, Julia, I was having a private conversation with him when you walked in. I'd like to finish that conversation." Horatio stared her down, as if his eyes alone could force her to leave.

"It can wait," she said to Horatio, now all pretense of friendliness gone.

"It can't, I'm afraid." Horatio responded, a hint of anger in his voice.

The two fell silent, challenging each other with their eyes. Kyle sat between them, looking back and forth. He hated when his parents were like this.

Finally Julia looked away from Horatio and addressed Kyle. "This conversation with your father can wait a little while, can't it?"

Kyle looked lost. All he could think about was how obnoxiously stupid this conversation seemed. Why couldn't his parents just get along? "I—"

But once again his sentence was cut off by the opening of the door. This time the person did not fly in, but rather entered timidly.

"Leslie," Kyle said happily. Horatio and Julia glanced at each other. They came to an unspoken agreement.

Horatio stood. "I'll be back in a little while, okay?"

Kyle nodded. Julia indicated she would do the same. The two past lovers left the room, leaving Kyle and Leslie alone.

Leslie had appeared to come in a hurry. She was usually meticulously clean, but today her hair was hastily thrown back and she was wearing wrinkled jeans and a sweater. She stood at the end of Kyle's bed. "I came as fast as I could."

"Thanks. I'm fine, by the way," he added with a small smile after noticing how worried she looked.

She crossed the room and sat next to him. "How long will you be here?"

"A few days is what the doctor says." The air was unusually uncomfortable. Kyle couldn't put his finger on it, but something was off.

She looked away from him. Something was definitely bothering her. Suddenly her face li up. "I just remembered!" She said, reaching into her purse. "I brought you something." She pulled out an almond joy candy bar. "Hospital food sucks, you know."

He laughed. "Thanks." She knew him well. Almond joy was his favorite. He took it and began to chow it down. Meanwhile, Leslie had gone back to her uncomfortable avoidance of his face.

He stopped eating. "Okay, Les. What's wrong?" He raised his eyebrows in a just-tell-me kind of look.

"Nothing," she answered a little too innocently. She could tell that Kyle was buying it. Hastily she tugged upwards on the cardigan-sweater she was wearing. Not fast enough—Kyle saw the scratch marks on her chest.

"Who did that to you?" he demanded. Next to him, the beeping on his monitor quickened.

"Kyle, leave it alone," she pleaded.

Kyle didn't need to ask any further. Leslie was staying with a nice foster family right now, and she never got in trouble with any kind of folks. That left one person—Carson. "That son of a bitch!" Kyle said passionately.

Leslie stood up. "Listen to me, Kyle. Yes, he was a jerk. And yes, he deserves to have his face ripped off, but you cannot take this into your own hands. Do you hear me? You can't afford to get into any trouble. Please Kyle; promise me you won't do anything stupid." Her face was desperate.

Kyle's blood was boiling but he knew he would have to promise. Leslie was not below marching straight into the hall and telling his parents what was going on. Besides, he didn't want to upset her any further. "Fine," he pouted. "But he better stay away from me, 'cause I can't promise what will happen if I see him."

"Thank you," Leslie said with a sigh of relief. She smiled at him for a moment, then leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Feel better, okay?"

Kyle's stomach nearly dropped through the floor, but he managed to stutter out, "Okay." He was suddenly filled with a ravenous guilt. He didn't deserve a kiss; he had just lied to this women—he had every intention of exacting revenge on Carson Gordon.

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**A/N**: Okay, I didn't really like the chapter I just wrote which is why it took me so long to write it. But hopefully we're going to get back to the custody battle next chapter. Oh, and Please Review!!

**Coming Up**: Horatio finally decides to tell Kyle about the custody battle, no matter what is going on. But it turns out that what's going is…not good.


	9. The Heart of the Matter

**A/N**: Sorry about the delay folks. The custody battle is going to happen soon, and the story is winding down. I'm not one to write super long fics. It will be no more than 15 chapters, and that's even a bit of a stretch.

This chapter delves more into the relationship between Horatio and Kyle, and some of the obstacles that come with that. Also, we'll see a little more of how exactly Horatio feels about his son.

I'm thinking of writing a short 2-3 chapter comedy-ish fic about Horatio and Kyle, based on the movie _Back to the Future._ It would be completely AU, of course, but the bunny won't leave me alone. Let me know via the review button whether that sounds good to you.

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Horatio left the Miami Dade police department after a tiring day. The case they had been working on for weeks had finally been resolved around noon. He spent a few more hours doing paperwork before deciding to head home early.

He made his way to his car absently, his mind absorbed with other matters. For the past week Kyle had been in the hospital, almost constantly surrounded by his friends or his mother. Horatio had never gotten to telling him about the custody battle. Not that he had put a lot of effort into making it happen. He was going to go through with this whether or not Kyle approved, but he didn't cherish the thought of the inevitable argument that would arise from this conversation with Kyle. If there was one thing he had discovered about his son it was that the boy had a short temper. Upsetting him was like opening a can of soda that had just been shaken. Horatio made a note to work on this once Kyle was in his care.

Kyle had been released yesterday. But Horatio still hadn't gone to see him. Horatio turned the key in the ignition, and then sat there for a moment. He knew what he needed to do.

Fifteen minutes later he had pulled up outside Claremont Academy. It was fortunate timing. Horatio could see Kyle standing towards the doors talking with a tall brown-haired boy. He wasn't smiling.

The two appeared to be arguing. Horatio hesitated. He knew that it was not his place to step into the middle of every argument. But as he continued to wait, it became apparent that he was going to have to step into the middle of this.

It wasn't clear to Horatio who through the first punch. It was clear, however, that Carson and Kyle were attempting to beat the crap out of each other. Kyle threw vicious and rage-filled punches at Carson's stomach and head. Carson retaliated, jutting his knee into Kyle stomach. Kyle recoiled enough that Carson was able to land a hard punch a cross his head. Kyle stumbled sideways.

Horatio had bolted from his car at the first sign of the fight. Kyle had just been hit in the head, but was already rearing to fight back. Horatio grabbed him and pulled him away from the other boy. A teacher who had heard the commotion and run out grabbed Carson.

The fight in Kyle took a minute to fade. He made a few attempts to lunge from his father's grasp, but Horatio held him tight. "Kyle!" Horatio said sternly.

Realizing that his chance of fighting had passed, Kyle stopped trying to attack his enemy and was released by Horatio. Still fuming, Kyle paced around the area trying to contain himself.

"Just calm yourself down, son." Horatio's voice was not angry but it was commanding.

Kyle appeared to calm a bit, then turned to his father as if suddenly realizing that his father had witnessed the whole ordeal.

"Get into the car, Kyle." Kyle didn't dare disobey. He showed his displeasure, however, by crossing his arms as he made his way to the vehicle. He climbed into the passenger seat as Horatio got into the driver's position.

Horatio drove in silence. Kyle looked out the window, his expression unusually blank. Horatio shot a few glances at his son, but did not speak.

Finally, they pulled up at a strip of land that jutted out between a bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The view was stunning, but neither Horatio nor his obstinate child was in the mood to appreciate it.

Horatio got out, and Kyle followed suit. The older man stood facing the ocean, his hands on his hips. Kyle reluctantly walked to his side.

"I'm disappointed with your behavior, Kyle." The boy looked guiltily at his father, but he could see nothing behind the man's dark sunglasses. So he looked away and said nothing. Horatio persisted. "Do you want to tell me what that fight was about?"

Kyle looked to the ground. Horatio turned his head towards him. Sensing that he'd better answer, Kyle mumbled, "He's a jerk."

Horatio now turned and fully faced his son. "Kyle, you're going to meet a lot of people in your life who make you angry, but raising your fist against them is only going to hurt _you_."

Kyle sighed. He knew his father was right, but he didn't want to admit it.

Horatio sensed that the message had gotten through. He knew what he had to say next. "There is something I need to talk to you about, son."

Kyle looked at his father, a knowing look in his eyes. "The conversation you started in the hospital? I was wondering when you were going to bring that up again."

Horatio shouldn't have been surprised that Kyle remembered. The kid was smart. All the more reason to just lay it out straight for him. "Kyle, I'm going to challenge your mother for custody of you in court."

Kyle looked up at him, his mouth slightly open. Horatio saw every phase of emotion pass through his eyes. Surprise. Confusion. Anger. "Why?" He sputtered.

Horatio looked at the shimmering sea. "Son, I know that you care about your mother, but I need to do what I feel is best for you."

"How is this best for me?" His voice was loud and angry. "For ten years I was shipped from home to home, and the only thing I wanted was to find my real parents. Now that I've got a home, you want to take me away from it? How is that what's best for me?!" Kyle's face was flushed with outrage. He stared up at his father, demanding an answer.

Horatio listened calmly to the outburst. He had expected as much. He understood his son's anger, too. It was for the very reason that Kyle gave that Horatio had waited so long to fight for custody.

"I understand that you're upset, son, but I'm going to do this." He looked straight into the boy's blue eyes, the same eyes he saw everyday in the mirror, and tried to express his sincerity.

Kyle huffed and turned away, seeing that arguing would be useless. Horatio felt a strange sadness overwhelm him. Whether through the stress of his job, or his personal experiences, Horatio had learned not to care what people thought of him. He never wanted or tried to get acceptance from others. But this was different.

The boy standing in front of him was a being he could never have imagined. His son was so much like him in every way that it almost unnerved Horatio. And from the very start, Horatio had found himself craving closeness to him. He wanted to the boy to like him and be happy to see him.

That certainly wasn't the case now. But Horatio wouldn't sacrifice his paternal responsibilities just to win Kyle's favor. He was going to fight for custody, and he was going to win it.

"Can you drive me home now?" Kyle asked, avoiding his father's gaze. His voice was impatient and strained.

Horatio took one last sad look at his son. "Okay. Get in the car."

Kyle turned, still not looking at Horatio, and climbed into the car.

It was a long ride home.

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**A/N:** Oh, please please review! I really need them. I'm getting a little stuck and I need some reviews to keep me going!

**Coming Up:** The actual custody battle will happen soon, but not in the next chapter. Also, Kyle's perspective is about to radically change.


	10. Good Business

**A/N:** I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, and especially those who have stuck with story chapter after chapter. I'm so grateful and I can't tell you enough how wonderful I feel when I get reviews.

Don't be overwhelmed by the amount of narrative in this chapter. I know that dialogue is usually what people like, but the narrative in this chapter is extremely important. I felt that Kyle's character was not developed enough to have him doing the things that he will be doing in future chapters. So this chapter really focuses on who he is and what's going on in his life right now.

**Just a head's up**—Horatio does not appear in the chapter, but he is mentioned several times. Also, I really love this chapter and so reviews would be really great.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own it, quite obviously.

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Kyle attempted to fasten his blue and gray tie for the tenth time. He could never get the hang of the thing. As he flipped the piece of fabric this way and that in front of his mirror, he glanced at his face.

Kyle was not one to bother with mirrors often. He might glance in one here and there to make sure his hair wasn't sticking up in the back, but other than that he rarely looked at himself. But now he paused and looked himself over. He had grown a lot in the past years. He was nearly six feet tall, and his face had become sharp and more masculine.

Kyle might have been happy that he had finally lost his childish looks, but he couldn't help but notice his bloodshot eyes and the dark circles beginning to form under his eyes. This year had been the most stressful of his life. Even after getting out of jail and moving in with his mother, he had been faced with an almost overwhelming amount of school work – and of course the usual drama that goes with high school.

Lately the drama had been rather pleasant, though. Leslie had broken up with Carson, naturally, and had been spending more and more time with Kyle. More time than usual, that is. Before the Carson days, Kyle and Leslie had spent most of their time together, anyway. But Kyle thought that something had changed. The atmosphere was different. He knew he should make a move, but each time an opportunity arose, his courage failed him.

Kyle focused back on his face. He studied his hair, his eyes, and his mouth. There was no denying that he looked like his father. Try as he might, he found very little trace of his mother in his physical appearance. Although he had her blonde hair, the texture still resembled his father's.

Kyle felt sadness envelop him. It had been two weeks since his conversation with his father. Kyle had returned home angry and refused to answer any of his father's calls. Some anger still lingered, but it was beginning to wear off. Instead he felt another emotion that he couldn't quite place. It was almost like he…_missed_…his dad.

The teen shrugged off the feeling. He couldn't forgive his actions. He knew that Horatio still intended to do the custody battle. He didn't want to think about separating from his mother. Sure, there were times when things weren't going so great, but lately it had been wonderful. Right after his fight with Carson (and subsequent conversation with his dad), Kyle had confided in his mother about what Carson had done to Leslie. She had listened carefully and been sympathetic towards his anger. She agreed that his little "fistfight" with Carson had been justified and necessary. Kyle went on to tell her how Leslie had, at Kyle's insistence, pressed charges. However, Carson's father had gotten the charges reduced to a small fine, which he subsequently paid off. Julia had shaken her head and concurred that it was atrocious.

Kyle felt a pang of affection for his mother. She understood what he felt. Not like his father. Horatio was always telling him off for something.

There was a knock on his door. After calling for the person to come in, Julia entered with a smile on her face. "You almost ready?" She asked.

The boy smiled at his mother. "Ya, just trying to get this thing tied."

Julia walked towards him. "Let me do that," she said with a small laugh. She tied it perfectly within a few seconds. Then she pulled the tie gently so that Kyle was looking straight at her. "I promise that this will be a short party. We just have to go in, say a few hellos, mingle, and then we can leave. Okay?"

Kyle nodded. Julia smiled and left the room. The minute the door closed, the grin left Kyle's face. He hated attending his mother's parties. They were just an excuse for wealthy, upper social class, business people to get together and appreciate themselves. But his mother seemed to think they were essential to "good business" in the high end real estate world, so Kyle put up with them. But really, he would rather his mother and him just stay home and watch old movies.

Twenty minutes later, Kyle and Julia entered the home of a socialite who was well known in Miami for his high end fashion stores. The building was huge—bigger even than the Winston home. Inside were more than a hundred people all dressed up in formal wear.

Kyle stuck to his mother's side, as he had been instructed to do. She introduced him to couple after couple, some of which he supposedly already knew. After an hour he had grown immensely bored. He excused himself, saying that he was going to the bathroom.

He wondered around the empty side halls of the large mansion. He took out his cell phone and texted Leslie. He waited a while, but no response came. Knowing he would be missed soon, he hurried out into the main hall.

His mother was talking to a vaguely familiar middle aged couple near the refreshment table. When he approached, she held out her arm to him. "This is my son, Kyle," she said to the couple. Kyle joined them.

The woman smiled kindly at him. The man held out his hand. "Patrick Gordon," he bellowed. Kyle's stomach dropped. Now he knew why their faces seemed to be familiar. This couple was none other than the parents of Carson Gordon. The man was the corporate lawyer that Carson always bragged about.

Julia looked nervously at Kyle. The boy had not shaken Patrick's hand. Patrick Gordon lowered his hand in confusion. "We're uh…we're actually doing some business with your mother. We're looking to buy some property down in the West Keys."

In that moment, the whole world seemed to go still. Kyle whipped around to face his mother. The accusation was pouring out of his eyes. Sensing a confrontation, Julia hurried Kyle away from the couple and into an empty hall.

"Kyle…"she began, but the boy wouldn't let her say a word.

"How could you do this?" His tone was half angry, half shocked. "You knew. You knew what his son did to Leslie. You knew how he helped him get away with it. I told you, and you agreed with me. You said it was atrocious! And now you're…you're…you're voluntarily working with him!?" He was so angry that he could barely say any words at all.

There was a pause as Kyle paced the floor and Julia looked quietly at him. Kyle stopped and stared pointedly at her, wanting a response.

"It's just business, Kyle."

It was in that moment that everything changed. Every moment that Kyle had experienced since that fateful day that he had seen both his mother and his father in the same room for the first time came crashing down on him. It was as if the curtains had suddenly been thrown open and the sunlight was pouring into his mind.

There his mother was. She was in a brand new dress which had no doubt cost her hundreds of dollars, despite the fact that her former husband had left her massive debt. She was standing in a house full of greedy stuck up people. And she wanted to be there. She wanted the money, and the social status, and the attention. She didn't care who these people were. She didn't care about their character or their practices—she only cared about their bank accounts and their VIP invitations.

And the full reality of his situation sunk in. Who had been there when he had been kidnapped in jail? Who had been there when he was about to go on trial? Who had been there when he was sick or in trouble? Not his mother. She was there when it looked good for her—now, for example. When having a nice, smart, teenage son meant "good business."

One thing was for sure. His father would never, _ever_, do business with a man who helped his son get away with assault. But apparently his mother would. Kyle was beginning to see his life in a whole new light.

"I can't believe this," Kyle said to his mother. "I can't believe you would work with him. In fact, I can't believe you even come to these damn parties. Is money all you care about? Or is there actually a reason for us being here?"

Julia looked dumbfounded. She regained her composure in a moment though. "We're here to see friends, Kyle, and to meet new people. This is no different from you going to a party with your friends."

Kyle wasn't going to buy Julia's excuses anymore. "This is nothing like that. These people aren't your friends and they're certainly not mine. You're here to feel important and hopefully score some business deals."

Julia looked insulted. "What makes you think you can talk to me like that?"

"Oh now you're going to get all "parental" on me? No, you know what? I'm out of here. Take the car, I'll walk home."

Kyle heard his mother calling his name as he walked away, but he ignored her. He had a lot to think about.

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**A/N:** As usual, reviews are strongly STRONGLY appreciated and needed.

**Coming Up: **Horatio's got a plan, Kyle's forming a plan, and Julia needs a plan. And, oh, you know how they say "things never go according to plan?" Well, that applies here.


	11. The Pride of the Father

**A/N:** Well, this is a complete change from what I had planned. I promised myself when I started this fic that I was going to remain completely within canon. I was not going to veer from it at all. For those of you who watched the most recent CSI: Miami episode, "Divorce Party", you know that the whole Horatio/Kyle/Julia storyline has completely changed. After a lot of thought, I decided to honor my initial decision to remain canon. However, to do this I needed to rework this fic a lot. That's when I came to the revelation that what I really needed was not to rework this fic but to finish it and create a sequel, which is in canon, but still revolves around Horatio and Kyle.

I know this is rather quick and out of the blue, but I feel this is best. This will be the last chapter of "The Kid." It basically recounts what happened in "Divorce Party", so if you haven't seen it and don't want to be spoiled then don't read it. I also use this chapter to explain some of the things that they don't tell us on the show, mostly regarding Kyle.

Thank you to all who read and reviewed and I hope that you will continue this story with me in the sequel, which will be titled, "The Son."

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CSI: Miami, and several lines in here come straight from the episode "Divorce Party."

**Please enjoy.**

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Horatio watched his son running through the apartment, looking everything over with a look of awe on his face. This moment that Horatio found himself in was bittersweet, and more than a little surprising.

The past few months had been a whirlwind of change. Despite his aversion to his private school, Kyle had worked hard and graduated a semester early. He had then gotten a boring and low paying job at a local restaurant. Horatio had hoped that the job would bring about some stability to the boy's life, but apparently it did not. Only three months after Kyle's graduation, Horatio received a call that started a chain reaction of events that changed everything.

It had started with a call from one Officer Palaski, saying that he had pulled over Kyle for reckless driving. Horatio had been shocked, of course. He had always thought that his son was mature enough to be a safe driver, especially after his accident. But then Officer Palaski continued, saying that the boy's mother was in the passenger seat, and seemed to be under some kind of medication.

Then Horatio had been furious. He questioned Julia. Julia claimed she told Kyle to be careful. Horatio doubted that was true. She went on to say that Kyle was supposed to get her to her job interview. Horatio had heard enough. This boy needed better role models.

Horatio joined Kyle in the hall outside the room where his mother was sitting. "Kyle," he said, tipping his head to one side and raising his eyebrows.

Kyle looked appropriately ashamed. "I'm sorry, Dad," he said with sincerity.

Horatio looked to the ground. It was hard to be stern with his son when the boy was acting so docile. "Kyle, I realize that your mother asked you to get her to her interview, but that is no reason to break the law. You could have killed someone."

Kyle looked around the room before bringing his eyes back to his fathers. "Look, Mom's a mess. I know that she doesn't have her priorities in exactly the right order, but she's my mother. She's sick and she's broke. She needs someone to take care of her."

Horatio's heart was overcome with a sense of pride and sadness. "Son, it is not your responsibility to take care of your mother. It's her responsibility to take care of you."

Kyle seemed to understand. Horatio hoped he did, because he then brought him Dr. Tara Price of the ME's office. The ME's office generally worked well with Horatio, so it was not difficult for him to secure a job for Kyle there.

Kyle had been shocked when Horatio told him about his new job. However, he seemed rather happy about it. Horatio hoped, for the boy's sake, that the job stuck.

The same day that Kyle started working, a bottle of pills went missing from the autopsy room. Upon questioning Dr. Price, Horatio learned that Julia had visited Kyle in the autopsy room that day.

Horatio knew it had to be her. Kyle wouldn't take them, and Horatio trusted Dr. Price and her assistants. He scheduled to meet with within the day.

Julia drove up in her black Porsche. Horatio's anger with her only grew. According to Kyle, there were unpaid bills lying in his mother's home, yet she was driving around her gas guzzling expensive car.

Julia's attitude about Kyle was horrifying. She didn't even seem to pretend to care about him anymore. Horatio knew what he had to do. "It's time to let him go," he told her.

Julia had smirked, gotten into her car, and left. Horatio sighed. He wanted better for his son.

After he had finished work, he called Kyle and told him to meet him at the beachside apartments. Kyle showed up, surprised at the strange location. "I thought we were meeting at home?" Kyle said in confusion.

The next words left Horatio's mouth somewhat reluctantly. "You are home. You live here now, Kyle."

Kyle looked at him in disbelief. "A new job with my own apartment? Sweet!" He stared at the building he would now call home.

"With it comes responsibility, right?" Horatio questioned, studying the reaction on Kyle's face.

"Ya, I know," Kyle said, not even looking in Horatio's direction. That wasn't good enough. Horatio needed to know that his son was going to make good decisions.

"Right?" Horatio repeated, making his meaning clear.

Kyle looked at Horatio. Their eyes locked and an understanding passed between them. "Ya, I know." The boy said again, this time with complete sincerity. "Can I check it out?"

Horatio nodded. "Sure." Kyle bounded up the steps. "Oh, and Kyle?" The boy turned. Horatio took a key out of his pocket and tossed it up to him. Kyle caught it and smiled. Horatio returned the smile.

Kyle walked to his door and unlocked it. He placed his hand on the doorknob and opened it slightly. Then he turned back and looked at his father. The boy's eyes thanked his father from across the way.

Horatio smiled, assuring his son that all was well. And all _was_ well. Kyle, his son, had grown so much in the year and a half that Horatio knew him. It was hard to except that the boy that had been standing in front of him was the same passionate teenager that he had met in the interrogation room that long year ago. But the truth was undeniable. Through trials and tribulations, Kyle had grown up to be the kind of person Horatio hoped that he would be.

As he watched his son explore his new home, he let the realization sink into his heart. The kid had become a man.

**Fin**

**A/N: **Thank you for all your reviews. I would still appreciate reviews for this chapter, even though it is the last.

**Coming Up:** Check for the sequel, "The Son."


	12. Alternate Ending Follows Chapter 10

**A/N:** I felt a little mean for having ended my story the way I did. I know a lot of people wanted to hear the custody battle. So, I figured I could whip out one last chapter featuring the custody battle. Consider it an alternate ending to "The Kid."

Dedicated to **OkieBeth05**, because she convinced me to do this.

**Warnings**: Father/Son cuteness bordering on fluff.

**Disclaimer:** Nah, I don't own CSI: Miami or the characters 

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The day of the custody battle had arrived. Horatio Caine sat in his office feeling unusually nervous. He knew that he probably didn't have enough to secure custody. Maybe enough to gain joint custody—but enough to take Kyle away from Julia all together? Probably not.

His lawyer, Brian Benson, had left the material they would be using on Horatio's desk. Horatio had testimony from Dr. Young, Kyle's psychiatrist, from himself, and from Ann Humphreys, who would be a character witness for Horatio. He also had a report from Kyle's pediatrician that his lawyer would read to the court.

But Horatio had seen many a custody case. He knew that proving the worth of the father did little unless the prosecution could also prove the unworthiness of the mother. Horatio knew that Julia was not a good parent to Kyle, but he had very little to prove that in court.

There was a tap on the glass door of his office. Kyle was standing there, looking nervous and out of place in his casual wear. Horatio signaled for the boy to enter, which Kyle promptly did.

Kyle sat down across from Horatio, so that to the outside viewer it may have seemed like he was being interviewed for a job. There was a moment of compatible silence before Kyle spoke. "So, you're really going through with this."

Horatio knew that Kyle has been against the battle from the beginning, but something in the boy's voice shook him. Kyle didn't seem as angry as he usually was on the matter. "I am," Horatio answered. "Are you going to be okay through this?"

Kyle shrugged. "Yeah." He was silent a moment, and he turned to look out the window at the MDPD parking lot before speaking again. "I want to stay with Mom, but…she's changed. She's not who I thought she was."

To say that Horatio was surprised would have been an understatement. But he listened carefully and encouraged his son to speak further. Kyle faced his father and continued. "I was in foster care for 10 years. I didn't know anything about you. All I knew about Mom was the one or two vague memories I had of her. I wanted to find her so badly. So, over the years I built up this image of who she was. It's not till now that I've realized that I built that image on nothing. It was nothing more than who I hoped my mother would be. She's not like that woman I thought of. She's not…good and pure. But who is really? All I know is that she needs someone. And who will take care of her if not her own son?"

Horatio sighed. He had realized this from the moment that Kyle had stood in that holding cell with Julia. But he could not shake the childlike disillusion from his son. It was the boy's job to realize that on his own. Horatio thought he would be happy when Kyle finally made this realization, but he wasn't. He was sad for his son's loss.

"Family inevitably lets us down, Son. Everyone we will ever meet does. But you're right—you can't give up on them just because of that."

"Then why are you trying to take Mom away from me?" Kyle asked, confused.

Horatio didn't know how to explain this to the boy. Kyle was still a child, and there was so much about life that he just couldn't understand from his perspective. Horatio knew he had to try, though. "I am not trying to take her away from you. I'm trying to make sure that you are in the best situation possible. Your mother is an adult, and she shouldn't need someone to take care of her. Son, this time in your life should be spent figuring out what kind of man you want to be, not trying to salvage the kind of woman your mother chose to be."

Kyle looked at his lap. Horatio couldn't tell if the boy had gotten the message. He didn't get the chance to find out, as there was a knock on his door. Brian Benson was standing there pointing at his watch.

Kyle breathed in. He locked eyes with Horatio, who nodded. "It's time to go, Son."

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The court room wasn't terribly packed. Some friends of Julia's sat in the pews, and a few of Horatio's team members lurked in the back. Mostly the court was taken up by Julia's extensive defense team. Horatio was armed only with Brian Benson.

Horatio and Julia had agreed that Kyle would not take the stand. However, much to both their disliking, Kyle insisted on being present during the case. He sat in pews behind the prosecution's bench, where his father was.

The case seemed to lurch on and on. Horatio had first been called to the stand, and had told his intentions to the court. Ann Humphrey had followed. She told the court of Horatio's good character and work record. The prosecution then called Dr. Young to the stand, and she paid witness to Kyle's declining emotional and academic health.

The defense was ready to attack every witness that came to the stand. They particularly attacked Dr. Young, saying that teenagers go through turmoil all the time in high school—and that his slight decline in well being could not be contributed to his stay with his mother at all.

The judge, an aging man with salt and pepper hair and a stern face, listened carefully. Because it was a custody case, it was a civil matter and therefore the "verdict" was decided by the judge.

After nearly three hours, the case started to wind down. The defense had shown Julia to be a good financial provider, and had knocked down any of the prosecution's claims that she was an incompetent parent.

Final arguments were given. Everyone in the room was waiting on the edge of their seat. Kyle was tapping his foot nervously against the floor. Horatio and Julia were, as usual, remaining calm.

Judge Hathorne sifted through some documents, obviously sorting out the thoughts in his head. Finally he put the papers down and addressed the court. "I find no reason why the child should be removed from his present guardianship. The prosecution has not given enough proof of incompetence on Miss Winston's part. Therefore, I rule that—"

But his ruling was never spoken, for at that moment, the doors to the courtroom were thrown open and a man in a sharp black suit followed by two city cops entered. Every head in the court turned to him.

Judge Hathorne quieted the instantly talkative court. He addressed the suited man. "Sir, this court is in session. What business do you have interrupting it?"

The man spoke in a commanding and borderline haughty manner. "Your honor, I have legal business that pertains to the matters of this court." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "I have an arrest warrant for Miss Julia Winston."

Kyle's jaw dropped. Horatio lost his usual calm to a look of utter surprise. Julia looked livid. She stood. "On what charges?"

"Two counts of real estate fraud on the grounds of fraudulent qualifications."

Julia looked like a fish out of water. "This is crazy!"

Judge Hathorne was now reading the warrant that the black suit man had provided. He addressed Julia. "This warrant is legitimate. If you do not go with these police officers now, they will charge you with resisting arrest."

Julia didn't know what to say. She could do nothing but allow an officer to place handcuffs on her and lead her out of the building.

The court was unsettled now. Judge Hathorne banged his gavel to quiet the room. "Sir," he indicated the man who had come with the arrest warrant. "What's your name and how did you come to be involved in Miss Winston's arrest?"

The man stepped forward. "Marcus Rowland, your honor. I work for the IRS. We have been pursuing Miss Winston for some time now. There is irrefutable evidence of her guilt, your honor."

The judge looked impatient. "Her guilt is not for this court to decide. We are here pending the matter of the custody of Kyle Harmon."

Brian Benson saw his chance. "Your honor, if I may," He said standing up. The judge nodded. "Miss Winston, whether guilty of these crimes or not, has found herself in a trying legal position. By the time she is tried, the boy will be 18 and no longer under anyone's custody. I think it best if Kyle Harmon spends the remainder of his youth under his father's guardianship."

Judge Hathorne seemed to mull this over. Finally he called the representatives from the prosecution and the defense to the bench. The two lawyers and the judge talked for a few minutes before the lawyers returned to their respective benches.

Judge Hathorne spoke with finality to the court. "Because Miss Winston has found herself in a position that impedes her ability as a parent, and because the good character of Lieutenant Caine is already widely recognized by the community, I find it suitable and right that full custody of Kyle Harmon should be immediately and indefinitely turned over to his father. Court dismissed." He banged his gavel.

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Kyle was sitting on a step outside the courthouse, trying to gather his thoughts. He looked up as his father joined him.

"How are you doing?" Horatio asked carefully.

"I can't believe that Mom just got arrested," Kyle said.

Horatio nodded, "Okay, I know this is surprising, but we're going to get through this."

His father's words of comfort seemed to be lost to Kyle. The boy was still lost in his own thoughts.

Kyle stood with his father. Horatio started to walk to the car, but Kyle remained standing where he was. Horatio stopped and looked back at him questioningly.

Kyle was looking at Horatio straight in the eyes now. "I want you to know, Dad…I'm not…disappointed that I'm living with you now. This is just a bit of a shock, you know?"

Horatio walked back to Kyle. "I know. I do know. And I know that this isn't the first time that you're mother has let you down. But I am going to promise something to you right now; I am never going to abandon you, Kyle. I will always be here if you need me. I never close."

Kyle looked at his father and he knew that the man meant it. "I know, Dad. You haven't let me down yet."

Horatio reached up and ruffled Kyle's hair in a rare show of affection. "Son, let's go home." Kyle nodded.

And the kid walked by the father, and the father stood by the son.

**FIN**

**A/N:** Well, I hoped you liked my alternate ending. I would appreciate reviews for it!


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